St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-08
YOUNG THOROUGHBRED.


department of the university.
YOUNG THOROUGHBRE
.sTexas Tom,'' once the Light
weight Rider for Pierre LOrillard
"a Roy with II Record.
Thomas p. Redmond, better known as
"Texas Tom," is in st. Paul enjoying a
little recreation. He was formerly Pierre
Lorillard's head lightweight rider, and for
several years past has been one of the most
successful hackers of race horses OH the
American tracks. About his last appear
ance as rider was at New Orleans iE 1888.
At jerome Park in one day with $40 bill
he won $4,000. There were seven winners
and he backed every one He is a slight
built, youngsh, pleasant looking man, with
dark complexion and bit of a moustache.
He is a Bohemian. to be found sometimes
in Texas, then in Minnesota, perhaps in
Kentucky or New York. or any other state.
He is a wanderer of the wanderers. Mr..
Redmond talks very freely about
himself. lie was born in 1867,
but for thirteen years his life
has been so much associated with men of
mature years that there is nothing of the
boy left him. and the practice of wearing
gives him the general appearance and air
of one long past his majority. Many in
teresting facts were gathered from him yes
terday in conversation as to his ups and
downs. His first public appearance was in
indianapolis, at the age of 6 years, when
he ran away from home and went on the
variety stage as precociouS Song-and-
dance kid. A year or two later brOn-
chial affection ruined his vocal organs for
public singing, and for long time he was
unable to speak above whisper. and even
now his voice seems strained in ordinary
conversation. Drifting into Texas, he
learned to ride mustangs, and achieved
some notoriety as jockey in the impromptu
quarter races that characterized the gather
ings of the stockmen. Getting back to the
racing centers of the East, he obtained en-
plOyment in galoping vicious horses that
were beyond the control of the boys en-
ployed to give them exercise.
Young Redmond says he proved pretty
tough customer, and his stable companions,
after feeling the weight of his fists. were
so heartily down on him that everything
amiss about the stables was always laid on
the shoulders of THAT id Texican,"
and from this he received the clinging
soubriquet of Texas Tom. Still, he proved
valuable hand for the work he was ell
ga ged for, and in one stable of particularly
vicious colts he was not discharged even
after he had shot at the head trainer for
cracking whip at his legs for some act of
diSObedience. Some time in 1878 he re-
ceived his first mount for regular stake
race, and after that he prospered rapidly.
Among his best known early mounts were
Gen. Harden, Big Medicine, Toronto, Lady
of the Lake and other more or less famous
winners of their DAY.
IT WAS THE POISONING
of the last-named animal that first caused a
ban to be put on Redmond, and after this
turf scandals piled up on his name at
rapid rate. He lost employment with the
crack stables and became affiliated with
tough crowd of fonts and sure thing men,
who stood at nothing to destroy to as great
an extent as possible the GLORIOUS uncer-
tainty" OF racing.
About his last appearance in the pigskin
was on the New Orleans course in 1883,
when he was put upon the old campaigner
known as Boston on the Table" Boston
was horse owned by syndicate of gam
blers who toured the tracks of the country,
dependent more on their winnings at cards,
however. than legitimate turf earnings.
They ran against some pretty good poker
players in New Orleans, and for long
time could only sit in the game with barely
sufficient to ante in front of them. When
| one of them would capture good hand he
would bet Boston. The game bobbed up
| and down this way for some time, the gam
blers, whenever their table stakes were
diversified saying, ''Well, Boston's on the
table," thus raising their opponents to the
| value of the horse. Finally the remark was
such by-wOrd that the horse came to be
known as Boston on the Table" Boston
nearly ended Redmond's existence on this
occasion by running away, throwing him
| off, and breaking his collar-bone and three
ribs. Since then he has been either in the
employ of the bookmakers or against them.
| If he furnishes them information they
make their odds according to its purport.
ana if he takes their odds they generally
shiver.
He hardly knows when he was ever
| genuine boy; he never played game of
marbles or ball in his life, nor flew kite,
and the nearest action to the sport of youth
that he can remember is the robbing of a
melon patch in New jersey. He has been
ruled off a dozen race-courSes, but on nearly
every one of them he has bought pools in
the down town auctions of the night be-
| fore and cashed them on the succeeding
evening.
THE SINGLE MEMS ENDOW MENT
An Attorney for Several rolicy
Holders Comforting as 10 How His
| Clients May Avoid a Heavy ASSESS